The National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) this weekend adopted a policy that urges Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses, to recognize the need for humane horse processing facilities in the U.S. and not to interfere with state efforts to establish facilities in the United States.The passage of the policy provides the authority for NCSL staff in Washington, D.C., to lobby on Capitol Hill as it effectively establishes the position of the states. NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.

The Horse Industry Policy received overwhelming majority support at the NCSL annual fall forum in Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 11-13. The policy was co-sponsored by Representative Sue Wallis of Wyoming, and Representative Dave Sigdestad of South Dakota.

Wallis, who is a vice chair of the agriculture and energy standing committee at NCSL, said, “We have received an absolute flood of support from literally every crook and cranny of this nation, and from all walks of life. We had letters of support from Horse Councils nationwide, we heard from horse owners, horse rescue and recovery organizations that are over-whelmed and without options, breed registries, professional rodeo cowboys, horse owners and many, many people who are sincerely concerned about the fate of horses and the equine industry.”----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Math Just Doesn't Work!Although the U.S. Slaughter Plants are closed, more than 120,000 U.S. Equines were slaughtered week ending 12/6/08.

In 2007, we had over 108,000 U.S. Equines Slaughtered. The plants closing here in the U.S. has not stopped the supply and demand of our horses being slaughtered across our borders for humane consumption overseas. There's no such thing as "unwanted horses".

TV Station KHOU has done a powerful piece on the USDA cruelty documents that Julie Caramante and Animal's Angels received through her FOIA. It features Steve Long and Julie and it is both powerful and graphic. http://www.khou.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=315146

Here is a text version off of Texas Cable News

http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/houston/stories/khou081219_jj_horse-slaughter-transportation.7b642747.htmlThousands of U.S. horses slaughtered in Mexico for food10:56 PM CST on Friday, December 19, 2008By Brad Woodard / 11 NewsSteve Long is a noted author as well as editor of Texas Horse Talk magazine. You can say he knows horses.

Thousands of U.S. horses slaughtered in MexicoDecember 19, 2008View largerE-mail ClipMore Video“They are the essence of beauty, everything about them, the way they move, the way they talk to each other, their personalities, they’re just magnificent,” he said.He says that horses are not only deeply woven into the fabric of Texas History, but they are also great icons of the American West.Still, despite that honor, records show that nearly 50,000 U.S. horses have been transported to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for slaughter and ultimately destined for the dinner tables in Europe and Japan.“It’s an obscenity. It’s a horror. It’s something that makes me want to throw up,” said Long.

11 News photoRecords show that nearly 50,000 U.S. horses have been transported to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for slaughter and ultimately destined for the dinner tables in Europe and Japan.Believe it or not, Long isn’t talking about the slaughtering practices in Mexico, although he finds them disturbing.Long is talking about the horse slaughter industry, that until recently, thrived here in Texas and the United States.“This is the biggest animal rights scandal since the Michael Vick case. This is slaughtergate,” said Long.In fact, records show that there are two Belgian owned horse slaughtering facilities in the state. He says one of the facilities, Dallas Crowe, is in Kaufman, Texas and that the other facility, Beltex, is located in Fort Worth.In 2006, 11 News reported that employees at both facilities used captive bolt guns and air guns on the horses instead of knives. That technique involves driving a steel bolt into a the brain of a horse.Both Texas facilities were forced to close last year. Officials say that the closure came after a federal appeals court upheld a 1949 state law banning horse slaughter for human consumption.Despite that action the slaughter horse business continues.Julie Caramante is an animal cruelty investigator for the organization called Animal’s Angels and she often works undercover.She said that it took her three years to obtain photos that document violations of the transportation of horses taken to Beltex between January and November of 2005.“I saw horses that were dead in trailers, with their legs ripped off, with their faces smashed in, eyeballs dangling, and these horses, some of them were still alive. They were just standing there,” said Caramante.Many of the injuries reportedly occurred when the horses were transported on double-decker trailers designed to haul cattle. The U.S. banned that type of action last year, but there’s a loophole, said Caramante. She says that the double-deckers can still be used to haul horses thousands of miles to feedlots, like the one in Morton, Texas. It’s owned by the Belgian company, Beltex.“They feed them and get them fattened up. The ones that live go to El Paso and then off to the plant in Mexico,” said Caramante.While it’s currently illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption in Texas, 11 News has found that at least two states are considering measures that would make it legal.Those who support horse slaughter say they’d like to see it resume here in the U.S. because of laws that protect horses from cruelty. They say it is a well regulated industry that provided humane euthanasia.“Such things are laughable. And it would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic. U.S. humane laws have done nothing for the horse,” said Long.E-mail 11 News reporter Brad Woodard

Thursday, December 18, 2008

I was just asked by someone who is rather politically savvy on "how things are done" if all the wild horse and burro groups were circulating a "Group Letter" of opposition to the appointment of Ken Salazar to the Secretary of the Interior. They said we must have it in by tomorrow...

Due to time constraints, I have drafted such a Group Letter and it is attached. Please consider signing it with your organization and contact information and submitting it to John Podesta, a Key Staff member of the Obama Transition Team at John.Podesta@ptt.gov

Please also encourage everyone you know who cares about public lands and wild horses and burros to PROTEST this travesty and absolute betrayal of the public trust!

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

KEN SALAZAR?

NO CHANGE - MORE OF THE SAME - AMERICAN SHAME

Much of our public lands, resources and the agencies overseeing them have now reached critical levels of concern due to the long-standing policies of the past accelerated by the last eight years of blatant disregard for both law and public outcry. The American people were promised change under your leadership; the appointment of Mr. Salazar represents a betrayal of the public trust and fails utterly to fulfill that promise.

The Wild Horse and Burro Program overseen by the Bureau of Land Management is currently in shambles, a poignant illustration of the magnitude of crisis much of our public lands, resources, wildlife and their ever-shrinking habitats now face.

Over 30,000 wild horses and burros are now headed for slaughter due solely to gross malfeasance, lack of oversight or accountability as well as the insidious policies of political meddling and corruption versus sound science based decisions that have pervasively corroded the wise stewardship of our Nation’s resources.

NOW is the time for strong, progressive and visionary leadership in efforts to repair what may be irreparable. There is no more time to waste on yet another politically motivated appointment that serves only special interests; not the American people or our children!

Ken Salazar promotes more of the same destructive policies and we strongly oppose his appointment as the Secretary of the Interior!

FOES of Equine SlaughterAbout IGA The Independant Grocers Alliance (IGA) is the worlds largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes nearly 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36distribution companies and more than 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items.IGA has operations in 44 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents

IGA promoting and selling horsemeat burgers internationally on-line;

http://www. iga. net/recipes. php?lang=en&id=174

NO to commercialization of horsemeat for human consumption! Boycott IGA in USA and everywhere else abroad! Lets send a powerful message to the grocers of the world: Horses ARE NOT a food-animal!!

Here is a link to where you can see how horrorifically these horses are killed, bear in mind this is what the "Pro-slaughter" people call "humane euthansia"

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Thank you for recently writing to President-elect Obama’s transition team to express your support for a Secretary of Agriculture who takes animal protection seriously. Over the past week, you may have heard specific names mentioned for this important post, as well as for the Secretary of the Interior. These two cabinet positions have a major impact on animal welfare, and below are our recommendations for these key appointments. We hope you will once again make your voice heard and write to President-elect Obama.

With oversight of the Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing a broad range of laws -- including those covering puppy mills, animal slaughter, animal fighting, and food safety. We believe that John Boyd Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, would be excellent choices for this post. However, we strongly object to former Representative Charlie Stenholm, who has been extremely hostile to even the most modest animal protection reforms, and has been a paid lobbyist for the factory farming and horse slaughter industries. It would be a disaster for animals if he were to be appointed to this position or any other position of authority over animal welfare matters.

The Secretary of the Interior oversees the enforcement of key wildlife laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and wildlife management practices on hundreds of millions of acres of federal land. We think the best candidates for this position are Representatives Raúl Grijalva and Jay Inslee and former Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes. Conversely, we oppose Representative John Salazar, as he has been hostile to a wide range of animal protection policies, including efforts to halt the trophy hunting of polar bears and to protect wild horses from slaughter. Salazar was even aligned with former Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo in an attempt to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Click here to learn more about these candidates and add your voice to these recommendations.

We hope that President-elect Obama will consider the importance of animal protection when appointing these positions, and that you will join us to express your support for individuals who embrace animal protection as a worthy goal. And don't forget to tell your friends and family to take action, too.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

In about a week the National Conference of State Legislature’s Fall Forum will meet in Atlanta, Georgia. Wyoming Representative Sue Wallis and South Dakota Representative Dave Sigdestad have introduced a resolution to be considered there on the subject of United States horse slaughter plants and their necessity to the equine market and our economy at large. They’re seeking input to support that resolution, in the form of letters which are “short, to the point, and include specific costs and impacts.”

Sue Wallis says, “I am going to be working with others to contact as many legislators as possible before, and at, the Forum with good, solid information. I am sure that as soon as the resolution gets posted that there will be an absolute deluge from the opposition. Last year, they apparently nearly overwhelmed the NCSL offices with emails, phone calls and death threats... we will try our best to get out clear factual information so that thinking, intelligent people can make good decisions.”

Equine businesspeople must realize the extreme importance of Sue’s and Dave’s efforts here – we desperately NEED horse slaughter plants reinstated in this country! Please get behind them. Submit your information and letters of support to sue.wallis@vcn.com or Sue Wallis, P.O. Box 71, Recluse, Wyoming 82725, or phone the ranch at (307)685-8248 or her cell (307) 680-8515. Her weblog is http://suewallis.wordpress.com/.

“We have received good support from the horse industry around the country,” Sue says, “and it sounds like we will have at least a few lobbyists on the ground in Atlanta – Conrad Burns from Montana, someone from Charlie Stenholm’s office in Washington, someone from AQHA, and hopefully some folks from other horse groups, as well.

“Last year in committee we were able to win a majority, but not the ¾ needed to take a resolution to the floor,” Sue explains, adding “we are hopeful we can carry the day this go-around. They were able to pass a resolution at the Council of State Governments – Midwest Regon last year. Of course, the difference is that at CSL we are dealing with both the east and left coasts – the whole country – and we can expect opposition from California, Washington and New England. Most of the urban folks are easily swayed by the emotional rhetoric of the Humane Society, et al.”

We tip our ol Tri-State Stetson to these two fine legislators on a wise and well-crafted resolution. Believing many of you are interested and need this information, I’m quoting a large portion of it here: “Federal legislation has been introduced to amend the 1970 Horse Protection Act to prohibit the possession, sale, transport or shipping of horses for processing. The National Conference of State Legislatures urges members of Congress to oppose such legislation.

“The loss of secondary markets has decimated the equine industry, severely impacted the livestock industry as a whole, and by eliminating the salvage value of horses has significantly reduced the market value of all horses. The loss of markets for horse meat for pet food, for the maintenance of zoo animals, and for byproducts has greatly impacted these sectors. The loss of horse products for export has eliminated more than $42 million dollars of direct income for an already struggling sector of the livestock industry, not to mention millions of dollars in indirect costs because of the loss of value of individual animals.

“The loss of the highly regulated and humane processing facilities in the United States has overwhelmed the ability of government and private rescue organization’s ability to deal with the scope of the problem; and has overburdened state and local agencies charged with regulating the transfer, transport, and welfare of horses. Without affordable and economic alternatives, unwanted horses are abandoned, and in the Western US the additional pressure on public lands from horses turned out to run wild is only intensifying the over-population, over-grazing, and ultimate destruction of the ecosystem. State livestock programs that used to be able to recoup the costs of caring and feeding for abandoned and estray animals by marketing them, are now forced to greatly increase their budgets at the expense of taxpayers.

“The Horse Welfare Coalition estimates that in excess of 100,000 unwanted horses annually, without any market value whatsoever, will be exposed to potential abandonment and neglect because of the cessation of horse processing in the United States. Efforts to prohibit the transport and export of horses can only exacerbate this problem. These additional unwanted horses will compete for adoption with the 32,000 wild horses that are currently fed and sheltered at a public expense of $40 million. The nation’s inadequate and overburdened horse rescue and adoption facilities cannot begin to handle the influx of additional unwanted and abandoned horses.

“In the United States the harvest of all animals, including horses, is highly regulated to provide for the humane handling of the animals as well as for a safe and wholesome product. Horse processing in the United States is particularly tightly regulated, and the horse is the only animal whose transportation to processing is regulated. Horse processing facilities in the United States are required to have United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarians supervise the euthanasia, and the euthanasia method is humane, according the American Veterinary Medical Association and the United States Department of Agriculture. Since the closing of horse processing facilities in the United States, horses have increasingly been sent across the borders for processing. In 2007, 35,000 horses were sent to Canada for slaughter, a forty-one percent increase from the previous year, while horse exports to Mexico have more than tripled. Equine processing in many foreign facilities is not held to the standards for humane handling and euthanasia required in the United States and often involves practices that would not be tolerated in this country.

“The majority of world cultures, including French speaking Canada, and Mexico, most of Europe and Asia have provided a willing market for the US horse industry. These, and ethnic markets inside the US would appreciate an additional source of high quality protein untainted by disease concerns of other species of livestock.

“NCSL urges Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses, to recognize the need for humane horse processing facilities in the United States, and not to interfere with State efforts to establish facilities in the United States.”

Wishing this effort much success in Atlanta, we come plumb to the end of our ol’ lariat rope again...

"At Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, we are committed to helping unwanted horses across America by providing struggling equine rescue and retirement facilities with the equine vaccines they need to improve the health and welfare of the horse," says Cynthia Gutierrez, DVM, Equine Technical Services Veterinarian for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. "We have chosen to demonstrate this commitment by teaming up with the AAEP to establish the UHVRC to help make unwanted horses more adoptable and the rescues less burdened."

Equine rescue and retirement facilities will be selected to receive complimentary equine vaccines based on the completed application, compliance with the AAEP Care Guidelines for Rescue and Retirement Facilities, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, their need, the potential impact on horses' lives and the professional manner in which the facility is managed.

How To Get Involved

AAEP-member veterinarians can work with equine rescue and retirement facilities to receive complimentary Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health equine vaccines. The AAEP-member veterinarian and equine rescue and retirement facility work together to submit an application, the facilities checklist and the equine vaccine order form. Only facilities that follow the AAEP Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities and have a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will qualify for the program. Equine rescue and retirement facilities or veterinarians can download an application form, the AAEP Care Guidelines, and learn more at www.UHVRC.org.

"The horses and rescues need help. Through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign, veterinarians now have the opportunity to make a difference by working with equine rescue and retirement facilities to receive complimentary vaccinations for the unwanted horses in their care," says AAEP President Eleanor Green, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM. "This program exemplifies the AAEP's ongoing commitment to issues that surround the care of unwanted horses in the United States."

A portion of all Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health equine vaccine sales beginning Dec. 1, 2008, will support the program in the future. The UHVRC will accept qualified applicants beginning Jan. 1, 2009.

To learn more about Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's full line of innovative, high-quality equine health products, visit www.intervetusa.com.

About AAEP

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, the AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its nearly 10,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.

About Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is focused on the research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of animal health products. The company offers customers one of the broadest, most innovative animal-health portfolios, spanning products to support performance and to prevent, treat, and control disease in all major farm and companion-animal species. The company is based in Boxmeer, The Netherlands.

Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription and consumer products as well as to animal health products. Schering-Plough's vision is to "Earn Trust, Every Day" with the doctors, patients, customers, and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is www.schering-plough.com.

Experts wonder who will take on the costs of caring for the increasing number of unwanted animals if a proposed federal ban on slaughtering and export for human consumption passes.

BY RICK PLUMLEE

The Wichita Eagle

Former Rep. Charles Stenholm of Texas said Friday that the consequences of a proposed federal ban on processing horses for people to eat would further exacerbate an existing economic problem for the growing number of unwanted horses.

"When a horse is unwanted, something has to happen to that horse," Stenholm said during a talk at the Kansas Livestock Association's convention at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. "We don't believe it should be used for human consumption, and we've made that clear.

"But it's private property. No one should tell you what you should do with a horse except to treat it humanely."

In 2006, the year before state laws in Texas and Illinois closed down the nation's final three facilities that slaughtered horses for human consumption, there was a $65 million export market for horse meat, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Now it has dried up to almost nothing.

Horses are now largely taken to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada. Horse meat is consumed by humans in countries such as France, Belgium and Japan. Part of the proposed federal legislation would ban transportation of horses to the Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses.

But Stenholm said the economic fallout has gone beyond the loss of the export market.

He said there are more than 125,000 unwanted horses in the United States. Another 33,000 wild horses roam federal land in 10 Western states and have drained the Bureau of Land Management's budget, he added.

"There's a cost to this," Stenholm said after speaking to an audience of about 350. "There's going to have to be money appropriated from states and Congress to deal with unwanted horses.

"What do you do with them when one turns up on the country road and you're the sheriff? Who pays for the feed? Some people are just letting their horses starve."

Stenholm, who spent 26 years in Congress and is now a consultant for various agricultural groups, said it can cost $200 to $2,000 to have a horse euthanized and disposed. In Wichita, the price is closer to $170.

Jason Kaiser, a Wichita veterinarian, said his Equine Surgery and Medicine clinic charges $40 to euthanize and an additional $40 for a trip charge.

Darling International, the only renderer in the Wichita area, charges $87 to haul off a horse. The two solid-waste transfer stations in Sedgwick County said they don't accept dead horses.

Credentials: Eight years in the Kansas legislature; two terms as state insurance commissioner; now in her second and final term as governor. Served as chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association, a group Bill Clinton once led. Gave the Democratic response in January to President Bush's last State of the Union address.

What she offers: Sebelius, 60, is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and is well regarded for her leadership abilities. Time magazine in 2005 named her one of the nation's five best governors. She has been a strong advocate for children's health issues in her state, activity that is seen as an asset since the USDA's largest and fastest-growing programs are for federally subsidized nutrition programs for infants and children.

Vetting: Sebelius has no Washington experience, and her knowledge of agricultural issues is limited to those she has confronted as governor of an agriculturally rich state.

Quote: "In a state like Kansas, where over 20 percent of our jobs and economy involves agriculture and the land, changes in the climate and atmosphere can be devastating. Less water and hotter temperatures will result in fewer crops and less production, and that affects our state, the country and the world."

Credentials: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 terms, from 1979 to 2005, and former ranking Democratic member of the Agriculture Committee. Graduated from Texas Tech University with bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture education. Operated a cotton farm near Abilene, Tex., for several years.

What he offers: Stenholm, 70, has extensive experience shaping agricultural policy in Congress and a working knowledge of farming operations.

Vetting: Was an instrumental player in the 2002 farm bill, which has been criticized for including lucrative deals for large farming interests. His work as a lobbyist on agricultural issues, including the horse-meat industry, could be an obstacle because Obama has vowed to reduce lobbyist influence in his administration.

Quote: "The so-called world market is not a free market by anyone's definition. As long as you have Europeans subsidizing wheat exports, and marketing boards in Canada, you're going to see continued market influence by governments. We have the most efficient farmers in the world, but most of them can't compete with government-imposed prices overseas."

Dennis Wolff

Current job: Pennsylvania agriculture secretary.

Credentials: A sixth-generation dairy farmer who owns Pen-Col Farms, a 600-acre dairy cattle operation. Serves as a board member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders and on the university board of trustees at Penn State. Successfully pushed for a state law that deals with water-quality issues and helps to result conflicts between farmers and local communities.

What he offers: Wolff, 57, has firsthand experience running a farm and managing a government agriculture department. In Pennsylvania, he has expanded farmers markets, which Obama wants to see grow nationally.

Vetting: His political experience is limited, primarily to the three years in his current post in a state with great agricultural challenges. He is viewed by some small farmers as being too supportive of larger, corporate farms.

Quote: "Food safety is a top priority for ensuring public health. From farm fields to the dinner plate, every participant involved in the supply chain plays a key role in the food production and safety process -- from producers and processors to state and federal agencies to consumers preparing food at home."

Friday, December 5, 2008

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE LEGISLATURES CONSIDERS PRO-HORSE SLAUGHTER RESOLUTION – AGAIN

ACT TODAY TO DEFEAT THE MEASURE

December 5, 2008

Dear Humanitarian:

At its December 10-13 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) will once again consider a resolution designed to promote the cruel and foreign-driven horse slaughter industry. Similar to the resolution considered – and defeated by Agriculture, Environment & Energy Committee– at the NCSL summer meeting, this resolution paints horse slaughter as a humane and necessary industry and calls on Congress to oppose the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Here are the facts:

· Horse slaughter is a cruel, predatory and profit-driven industry – not a humane service for ‘unwanted’ horses.

· Most Americans oppose horse slaughter and the public has called on the United States Congress to ban the practice.

· States that have played unwilling host to the foreign-owned slaughterhouses (Illinois and Texas) have made their opposition to the industry clear by passing laws to ban horse slaughter.

· In addition, California voters passed a ballot measure against horse slaughter while Delaware passed a resolution in support of a federal ban. Last year, an attempt to promote horse slaughter in South Dakota was defeated in the state legislature. Should NCSL approve the pro-slaughter resolution it would be acting entirely out of step with current state actions.

· Conditions in Mexican and Canadian horse slaughter houses, where American horses are still slaughtered, are horrific with some facilities stabbing horses in the spine multiple times to induce paralysis prior to slaughter.

· The US-based plants, while still operational, were hardly better. Recent information obtained by Animals’ Angels (WARNING: GRAPHIC) through FOIA show that horses at US plants regularly suffered horrific injuries and conditions including:

o Bloody, battered faces

o Legs missing or hanging off

o Eye balls dangling from their sockets

o Mares giving birth to their foals at the slaughterhouse

o Horses dead on arrival

· A federal ban on horse slaughter will end this cruelty and NCSL is out of step with the majority of American voters in opposing the measure.

· Wild horses are not unwanted or in need of a home, there is more than enough public land for all wild horses to roam free. In addition, Madeleine Pickens has been working with the Bureau of Land Management to provide a home for every horse currently in BLM holding facilities.

What You Can Do:

If you are from a state listed below please take a moment to call or email your legislator and urge them to oppose and speak out against this misguided resolution during the conference. Be sure to share the above mentioned facts with them so they are aware of how cruel this industry is and out of step the resolution is with current public opinion and legislative actions.

For more information on horse slaughter and how you can help make a difference please visit www.every5minutes.org.

For over 57 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus.

***If you email or fax, here are the links to give to these state reps/senators:

This is Animals' Angels page and link to the USDA materials:http://www.animals-angels.com/index.php?pageID=start_us&sessionLang=uswhen there, see the text box to the lower right and the first item there under "What's new"

Washington, D.C. (December 4, 2008) - Joining with a growing public chorus of outrage at a recent proposal by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and their Wild Horse Advisory board to euthanize up to 33,000 wild horses, several leaders in the US House of Representatives sent a letter to the agency stressing their strong opposition to any such effort.

Today, Congressman Nick Rahall, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and Congressman Raul Grijalva, chairman of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee sent a letter to James Caswell, director of the Bureau of Land Management.

The chairmen said, “We continue to be concerned about your agency’s proposal to deal with problems facing the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program by defaulting to a policy of mass euthanization of thousands of healthy horses. As recently as November 17, the Wild Horse Advisory Board and the BLM continue to support mass euthanization, even considering options to expand sale authority in ways that will lead to the extermination of more horses. The policy is not a solution – it is a failure.”

This powerful letter comes on the heels of an announcement by Madeleine Pickens in which she as stepped forward to provide a permanent and safe home to those horses in BLM holding facilities to ensure they are not killed as the agency tries to balance its books. “Mrs. Pickens is one of the most generous and compassionate individuals I have ever known,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of Government and Legal Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “Mrs. Pickens is acting out of pure selflessness. She has been a long time fighter for America’s horses and her commitment to protecting these national treasures is historic.”

In 1971, the American public and US Congress had to come to the rescue of America’s wild horses who were being wiped out by the BLM by enacting the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Thirty-seven years later, they are both coming to aid of them again from the mismanagement by the very same agency. There are many other options in dealing with wild horses on public lands and AWI will be working closely with Congress and other organizations to ensure the Agency is fixed so our horses and the public are not in this situation in a few years.

Managing for Extinction: Shortcomings of the Bureau of Land Management's National Wild Horse and Burro Program

Contact:

Chris Heyde, (202) 337-2332

For over 57 years, the Animal Welfare Institute has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. To learn more about us, please visit www.awionline.org.

For over 57 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

How do you corral 30,000 horses, having taken them off the range where they lived, and just say night night? asked Madeleine Pickens, the animal-lovingwife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens and better known in Thoroughbred racing circles as the former Madeleine Paulson, who with her late husband, AllenPaulson, developed one of .............

You may view the complete and latest post at http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/madeleine-pickens-a-plan-for-all-horses/

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Friends,I thought everyone might want to send Madeleine Pickens a thankful email for her generosity in making the attempt to save our wild horses.It is truly an act of pure GENEROSITY.You can type her website into your browser and find her contact info from there.

For more information on Madeleine Picken's project, visit her Web site:

www.madeleinepickens.com

Please also check out this story on Madeleine Pickens on ABC news and comment:

Monday, December 1, 2008

Dear Friends,As we gear up for the 111th Congress, Americans Against Horse Slaughter is seeking constituents from all states to help spread awareness. We have built up a strong grass roots coalition but we must continue to grow. If you are able to lead your state in this National Grass Roots campaign please contact us. We are setting up AAHS Blogs for each state. If you, are not a member of one of our state groups but are willing to set up a state blog to help us gain more constituents and raise awareness, please contact us. The following states still need a state leader:

We know you've all been working long and hard to end horse slaughter but we need you again. It seems that 2009 will bring us more friends in Congress and this should be our year. However, we must come out early and come out strong. Together we WILL get this done!!

Although horse slaughterhouses have been shuttered in this country, each year thousands of horses continue to be shipped across our borders into Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered for their meat, which is then sent to European markets. What happens to these horses every single day on their journey en-route to slaughter is just so appalling. So, I thought I might I urge you to consider reporting on the treatment of horses.

The mistreatment of these animals during the series of shipments, and feedlot layovers is well documented, and in violation of the law. Under the Freedom of Information Act, (FOIA) on October 29, 2008 Animals Angels obtained USDA investigative reports documenting the horrific, and illegal treatment of horses in transport to slaughter. I'd like to warn those who have an aversion to graphic content. These images are more than a little bit disturbing. But I'm urging you to please view as the text within is so very important and we'd like you to know just how important this issue has become. Please See:

The inhumane and illegal treatment of horses in transport to slaughter continues to this day. While Americans may disagree on the necessity of horse slaughter, I think there would be no disagreement on how these beautiful animals should be treated en-route to it. A journalistic investigation, would go a long way in helping us to reveal this issue. We need to let Americans know about what evils are perpetrated and get some help for the horses. If you won't do it for the horses, how about as a personal favor to me?

If the content in the previous link is a bit much for you, would you please take out a moment to sign this online petition below? We can all help the horses with your signature!! Please click the link below to sign petition for our beloved horses:

America Against Horse Slaughter and Equine Cruelty

Have trouble with that link above? Just copy and paste the link below into your browser subject line. Thanks!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

If Washington Ag journalist and observer Jim Wiesemeyer has his way CHARLIE STENHOLM.

OH NO!!!

Charlie Stenholm would be BIG trouble for the horses, HUGE. It is my understanding that the agriculture community has been trying to get Stenholm in that position for awhile. He was talked about for the Bush administration as well.

We must be proactive and all write to president elect Obama and tell Obama not to appoint Charlie Stenholm as Secretary of Agriculture. Tell Obama while we realize his own compassion index is 100% we are concerned voters that want to make sure he does not consider Charlie Stenhom for the position of secretary of agriculture. Charlie Stenholm is a paid lobbyist and has been the biggest obstacle in getting the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act S 311/HR 503 and the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008 HR 6598 passed. If he is appointed as the secretary of agriculture it will be the worst thing that could happen to horses and all farm animals.

Post-Congressional career
After his November 2004 defeat, Stenholm was mentioned by some major news organizations as a possible candidate for Secretary of Agriculture in President Bush's second term Cabinet, despite Bush's support of the redistricting plan. In the end, Bush nominated Nebraska GovernorMike Johanns, a fellow Republican, for the post.
After leaving Congress, Stenholm became a lobbyist, representing various agricultural interests, including the horse meat industry. In 2006, he was the most visible lobbyist for three foreign-owned horse-slaughter plants in the U.S. that are fighting legislation that would force them to close. The legislation appears to be headed to a vote on the House floor by early September.[3] Meat from these horses is used as food in some European Union countries, Japan and Mexico, for zoo food, and for medical purposes.
He is being slated for Secretary of Agricultre in the Barack Obama administration.[1]

Tell him to look at the over 200 pictures from the government on how abusive horse slaughter is and that Stenholm is a paid to lobby to keep horse slaughter legal not giving a concern for the horse or the millions of Americans that want it stopped.
Give them a GRAPHIC warning. These picks are barbaric and the worst kind of abuse a horse could ever suffer.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prominently mentioned by analysts and farm lobbyists for agriculture secretary in the Obama administration are a former Iowa governor, the National Farmers Union president and a former Texas congressman.
Obama senior strategist David Axelrod said on Wednesday the president-elect would "move with deliberate speed" on selecting nominees for cabinet and major White House posts.
Here is a list of potential nominees for agriculture secretary:

-- Tom Buis, 56, second-term president of National Farmers Union. Buis has elevated NFU's prominence in Washington and is former Senate aide to Tom Daschle, an Obama insider.
Tom Buis, National Farmer's Union= bad choice
This is from their 'policies' listed on their site."2. LivestockWe support producers’ rights to raise livestock. We oppose a ban on the slaughterof horses."
http://nfu.org/wp-content/2008_nfu_policy1.pdf

-- Tom Vilsack, 57, two-term governor of Iowa ending in 2006. Major issues were funding for education and bringing more high-tech agribusinesses to Iowa, the No. 1 corn and soybean state.

-- Charles Stenholm, 70, mentioned for USDA chief for two decades, regardless of who won the White House. A 13-term congressman from Texas through 2004 and a conservative "Blue Dog" Democrat who helped shape the 1990 and 2002 farm laws.

-- Marshall Matz, co-chair of Obama's rural outreach committee and lawyer known in Washington for representing school nutrition interests. Active in Democratic politics since the 1970s. Matz and Stenholm work at the same law firm.

-- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, 60, elected to second term in 2006. Also mentioned for health and education secretary. She has worked on school funding, health care and renewable energy.

-- South Dakota Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, elected to fourth term on Tuesday. Active on biofuels.
From what I have been reading today, Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota Democrat voted NO on HR 503.

Phase I: Send an email at the link above right now urging President Elect Obama to choose Raul Grijalva as Secretary of the Interior. Representative Grijalva has been a strong voice in the U.S. House of Representatives on animal issues. He has been an early co-sponsor of legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses and an advocate of America's wild horses. Raul Grijalva is the American horse's "dream pick" for Secretary of the Interior.Also urge President Elect Obama to pick Commerce and Agricultural Cabinet members who "get it" that the slaughter of American horses needs to end in 2009.John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmer's Association would be a great choice for Secretary of Agriculture in view of his and his organization's commitment to end horse slaughter in America. HSUS has endorsed his candidacy and it is believed he is in the vetting process for the position.After you have sent that e-mail, send one to Vice President Elect Joe Biden at the same site. Encourage him to do everything in his power in the new Administration to ban the slaughter of America's horses. Joe Biden has a humane score of 100%+ so let's make sure that he hears our voice in his new role as Vice President Elect.

Phase II: As the Cabinet nominations are announced for Interior, Commerce and Agriculture, we will communicate to each of them the urgency of passing a slaughter ban on all American horses as well as ensuring the American wild horse roams free under Federal protection. Links will be provided as the new Cabinet rolls out.

Friday, November 21, 2008

November 19, 2008;Madeleine Pickens, the wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, who this week offered to rescue more than 30,000 wild horses kept in federal holding pens, said yesterday that she wants to create a permanent retirement ranch for the horses and burros that could be open to the public.A key to her plan, she said, is federal tax credits to help attract donors. Pickens said she met last week with Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to discuss the proposal, which animal rights advocates have long promoted as an incentive for encouraging private individuals to adopt wild horses. "It's going to save tax dollars in the end, quite a bit," she said in an interview. "It has become so expensive to take care of these horses in these holding areas." Half of the nation's wild horse population is in Nevada, and Pickens said Reid told her that he has been concerned about the issue for 25 years. Jon Summers, a spokesman for Reid, said the senator was intrigued by the proposal but did not commit to it. "He thought this was a creative idea to a problem that needs creative solutions," Summers said. Officials with the Bureau of Land Management revealed this week that Pickens had come to them with a plan to relieve a growing agency headache -- the care of wild horses and burros that were removed from federal lands and placed in holding pens to await adoption. The government periodically gathers horses from the range to prevent overpopulation and damage to the grasslands. It typically rounds up about 10,000 horses in a year. Horse adoptions have slowed significantly in the past five years, and the cost of feeding and caring for these horses has grown sharply, decimating the bureau's budget and creating what the Government Accountability Office termed a "crisis." The government is caring for about as many horses in holding facilities as the 33,000 that still roam wild on federal lands.Bureau officials reluctantly began to consider exercising a legal but controversial option: euthanasia. Their focus was on about 2,000 unwanted horses that had not been adopted despite several tries. Pickens, a racehorse breeder and lifelong animal lover, said she was horrified when she learned about the problem. "There's got to be a way to bypass them -- why does it have to be Washington to solve the problem?" said Pickens, who, along with her husband, airlifted 800 cats and dogs stranded by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and brought them to California for adoption. She said that she approached officials at the Bureau of Land Management and that they embraced her idea. "I was just so thrilled -- at all the areas I expected a 'no' from, I just got a smile and 'Yes, we love it,' " she said. Pickens is negotiating to win control of more than 1 million acres of grassland in the West, where she plans to establish a horse ranch. She intends to acquire part of the land through private sale and the rest through a lease with the federal government. She is considering several pieces of land, costing $10 million to $50 million.Pickens wants to adopt all the wild horses and burros being held in federal pens, sterilize them and let them loose on her retirement ranch. As the government rounds up additional horses each year, she said, she could absorb them as well because they would replace horses on the ranch that die from natural causes. "I see it as an eco-vacation spot," Pickens said. "Could you imagine taking your kids there, staying on the range in log cabins or tepees? I love the idea of sharing it with the American people." Jeff Malcolm, an assistant director at the GAO who studied the wild horse program at the request of Congress, said that Pickens's idea could work but that the government would still need to control the population of wild horses roaming the range. "You have to look at the entire pipeline of the process," he said. "You need a strategy of population control." Bureau officials have been experimenting with fertility control but have not employed a comprehensive method to manage the population growth of the animals.

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http://www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/ AmericansAgainstHorseSlaughter is not engaged in rendering professional advice. The material on this blog may include views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of AmericansAgainstHorseSlaughter.com, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action. Links to other websites are inserted for convenience and do not constitute endorsement of materials at those sites or products or services provided by those sites. AmericansAgainstHorseSlaughter.com Copyright2008. All Rights Reserved.AAHS does not endorse any particular rescue. This is for informational purposes only, please do your homework before dealing with any of the following rescues..